Holding Deaths Thread
by Zero Hakusho
Summary: thrown from favor for the spirit kings paranoia. a former royal guard hides in the ranks because he asked the question. "what is a true shinigami"
1. Chapter 1

Holding Deaths Thread; Jackell Voodo

_**(A/N: this story has my OC Jackell, a fallen royal guard whom had created his own brach of kidos. Because of this threat he is being hunted, so now he must lay low. But for how long?)**_

_**(the beginning of this plot takes a few days before ruikas assigned execution and Ichigo and companys invasion to rescue her)**_

_There are many things the shinigami forsee in their soul duties, they absolved or punished. They slayed the hollows that attempted to interfere with these duties. But what truly made a shinigami a shinigami, shigami was after all a god of death so if he could gather and guide souls…couldn't he make them…living._

*Kings Realm*

The soul king was disturbed and not wanting to risk even the smallest casuality he called fourth his five captain royal guard to his throne room to inform of this nagging feeling in hopes of having it investigated and extinguised. The first already present in the throne room was the the captain of the five Setsune Mokira or as he was known to his subordinates and fellow guard "Kuro" for only the king knew his name. he was a young man with short black hair and silver eyes. His haori being a royal guard was black with silver lining with the kanji for zero on it.

The next to enter the throne room was a giant of a man who stood eight feet tall and wore armored plates on his shoulders and other parts, he wore a helmet shaped like a dragon with a spiky fur hair going down to the middle of his back. (Picture Sajjin Komamura only slightly more armored and with a different helmet.). "Roku Samade reporting" he said with a bow of his head. The king aknowledged him and he took his place on the right behind his captain.

After him came a younger looking boy who had shoulder length wavy brown hair that was tied in a small ponytail in the back and blue eyes. His haori was longer sleeved in which covered his hands. "Faguna Himenoi reporting" he said getting aknowledgement from the king. He took his place behind Roku on the back right of Kuro.

After him came a woman with long black hair tied in a ponytail and shimmering blue eyes. Her royal guard haori was normal as was her uniform on her feminine form "Kirio Hikifune reporting." She said bowing her head and getting aknowledgement from the king and took her place on the captains back left.

Lastly was a man with spiky white hair and a shaggy beard, his eyes were dark orange and he has scars going over each eye. His haoiri was tattered at the bottom and a wooden pipe was at the corner of his mouth. "Kishin Fukumaiga reporting" he said giving a bow. The king aknowledged him and he took his place at the back left behind Kirio.

"We of your elite guard are all asembled my lord" Kuro said in a non-emotional voice. The captain then opened his ears to listen to what the king had to say.

"My guard" he started "There are many things in any plane of existence that goes in cycles, life and death is the greatest and most prominent of these cycles, but recently I have felt small disturbances in this cycle and whenever I do I think of only on person, the one man whom I let get away because of leniancy…I speak of course of the former captain of squad zero, the greatest captain ever recorded…Jackell". The moment he said that name the guard began whispering among themselves in shock; all except the captain who wore a blank expression, but loathing of the name was visible in his eyes.

"Though he has not made any noticeable attacks against us, I feel disturbances in the cycle which may be result of his dark kidos which defy the very concepts I set…so my task for you captain is to go out and hunt him down and bring him back to me."

"Does he have to be alive?" asked the captain.

"Yes captain he must be alive"

"…..Does he have to be intact?" the captain asked with a slight cold tone lacing the words.

The king frowned at this "Yes my captain he must be intact and alive. I understand being his former subordinate you have loathing for him, but I will not have you acting barbaric over grudges. We do not know if he has passed his arts onto another, but if he has I need him alive and well to give us the information so we can counter. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR CAPTAIN!?"

Kuro nodded "Yes my king, you have made yourself clear" he turned to walk out of the room.

"Wait captain, though you claim to understand I am not sure you can keep your emotions in check, so Roku shall also be accompanying you. Also because your reiatsu could probaly cause distortion, a restiction will be placed on you when you pass thorugh the gate and a second one when you go to the human world."

Kuro nodded then glanced at the eight foot tall man "Come Roku we are leaving now" said man nodded and followed him out of the room.

"Good luck captain" the king called after him "I wish you luck finding him, for even I cant seem to track his location."

***Soul Society***

It was an average day in the soul society and going down the streets of the seritei was a young man carrying a bag of letters he needed to deliver to the barracks. He has short shaggy wild platinum blonde hair that almost looked silver that covered his eyes and a small pair of glasses at the rim of his nose. He wore a stadard shinigami uniform with longer sleeves ending at the tip of his fingers, black cotton gloves, and a long dark red and yellow scarf wrapped around his neck flapping in the wind as he ran. On his hip was a asauchi zanpaktou that was a short blade in a red black sheath. To the seritei and the twelfth division he was the odd un-seated officer known as J.V.

No one knew where he was from, whether he came from rukongai or a wealthy family. all they did know was that he was in twelfth division, an unseated officer, and his coulleagues the few he had called him J.V.

As he approached the fourth division barracks he was stopped by the posted guards and was asked to state his business.

"Kukuuk Im here to deliver a letter to captain Unohana" he informed.

"The captain cannot be disturbed at the moment, she is in the middle of working a surgery operation" the shinigami told him.

J.V sighed dreamily "Oh Unohana-taichou with all that serene elgance and class id break every bone in my body to be under her tender care kukukuku." The guards sweatdropped at the odd young mans behavior but in their minds they agreed 100%. "Kukuku well im not one to disturb the work of the fair captain. So could you give this to her when you can sir. I have to get these letters to second and sixth company."

'This is the weirdest guy to ever make it into the gotei thirteen" the guard thought to himself as he took the letter. J.V nodded and then happily skipped away to his next delivery 'and the gayest'

After going a few blocks around J.V found the second division barracks in were he soon found a not as friendly pair of guards halting him at the entrance. "Halt you unseated grunt state your business her!" one demanded.

"Kukuku im here to deliver a letter to captain Soi-Fon of course"

The man sneered "The captain has no time to do business with a no class grunt like you"

"Aww yes she is a busy little bee isnt she kkukuku"

The guards were un-amused at his small pun so he just held out the letter "Well if she happens to be free at a good time, do see she gets these"

"Pheh wouldn't count on it" the man scoffed waving him away. With his final stop twenty minutes away, J.V made his way to the sixth division. Unknowingly above him a kido ball was seconds away from hitting the barrier.

!BOOM! the ball exploded.

***Outskirts***

On the outskirtas of the seritei a senkaimon opened and out walked Kuro and Roku with restrictions placed.

"My captain, ive sensed out the area and it seems like they are all in a sudden frenzy" Roku informed as he was feeling around the reiastus of the people inside the walls.

"Well if I bet anything, I think it has to do with that" Kuro pointed to the sky and they both saw a kido cannon ball collide with the barrier and strange reiatsus scatter in different directions. Ruko then pointed to the east "I do believe it came from that direction sir"

"Well no matter because that doesn't concern us. Im going to enter in secret to search the seritei, you track along the soul society" Kuro ordered.

"HAI!" Roku nodded. He sat in a meditative pose and began his search. While in the meanwhile Kuro was making his way down the hill and into the panic.

***Seritei***

J.V was curious about the sudden explosion that sounded offf and sent the streets into panic. Shinigami of squad eleven were running through the streets to be the first to fight these "ryoka" if he heard the term correctly.

"Excuse me sir kukuk but what seems to be the situation" he asked a radom officer as he ran along side him. The man only glared at him with annoyance.

"None of your concern grunt now get back to your barracks" he barked. Not wanting to anger the man any further J.V scurried back to his barracks in squad twleve.

He arrived to the barracks and decided to visit the lab. Inside captain Kurosutchi was working on experiements furiously before the sou-taichou Yamamoto was to call for another meeting.

"Kukuku good day taichou"

"BEGONE YOU PEST IM BUSY!" the man spat as he typed furiously at his computer. But instead of leaving J.V looked up at the screen and saw what the mad scientist was working on.

"Kukuku I see working on organic implant grenades, very cunning indeed". Mayuri turned around to yell some more but then paused and grinned in pride at his genius was being recognized. But the moment he looked down he saw the odd unseated shinigami going through his notes. With a screech he started throwing things at him, making J.V run back out into the streets.

"Kukukuk that taichou of mine is so protective of his notes….but its nothing compared to what I know" he thought to himself as he chuckled and dodged books all the way down the halls and into the still frenzied streets.

*street*

After aquiring some average shinigami robes, Kuro made his way into the streets to begin his observation and investigation. As he made his way around the corner a sudden person bumped into him.

"Kukkuu oh excuse me sir" the strange boy said as he continued around the corner. Kuro simply shrugged and kept walking for he had no time to deal with a weirdo.


	2. Chapter 2

Holding Deaths Thread; Jackell Voodo

**Royal Guard Records;**

**Jackell Voodo.**

**Status= ex-captain of guard**

**Supposed Crime= killed fellow guards with his "dark" kidos and tried to kill king**

Born from a middle class noble family, Jackell was a natural prodigy in all things and was born with a special reiatsu that allowed him to learn all the forms of kido from combat, medical, and so forth. Graduating the academy in one year at the age of nine, he then went to study and perfect his sword skills and kido. Before being accepted into fourth squad to receive the highest PHD in medical arts. After showing great promise and intelligence he was accepted into squad twelve were he showed to have an I.Q so high it made modern geniuses like Aizen, Urahra, and Kurotsuchi look like novices. After receiving a high PHD there in the research division, Jackell was invited to join also in the kido corp at age 14 and in 500 years,(5 years human time) he mastered all kidos even forbidden ones; and at age of 17 he was offered the position in royal guard before the seritei offered him the title of captain commander leaving the chair vacant for his rival Yamamoto to take. He achieved his shikai and bankai at the age of 18 and made captain of guard the day after where he served as what is recorded as the strongest and greatest shinigami to ever serve. In his genius he created his own branch of kido called "True Shinigami arts" but after his banishment from the guard they were given a new title from the king "Dark Kido"  
**Zanpaktou= Gashadokuro-(** **A giant skeleton that is the spirit of the unburied dead.)**

**Wereabouts= unknown but is currently being searched for by recent guard captain Setsuna "Kuro" Mokira. (A/N: if I spelt it Setsune in ch.1 I apologize for the error)**

**Royal Guard Records;**

**Setsuna "Kuro" Mokira**

**Status= captain of guard.**

Born from a orphan in the Rukongai district Setsuna prodigy hard working shinigami whom in days of hard training developed his sword and kido skills to a luietenant level after graduating from the academy in two years. He was placed in squad eleventh squad for a brief period before being transferred to squad three as a 5th seat. After many years of diligent service and a large increase in his sword arts and kido casting he was promoted to 7th seat in first squad making him the first shinigami in his shinigami in his generation to be promoted without even learing the name of his shikai which was almost impossible. After years of diligent service he was promoted to royal guard and hand picked by Jackell to serve as his second in command allowing the two to develop a close relationship like a father and son. But after Jackells "betrayal" and discardment, Setsuna became cold and serious to cover up the tremendous pain he was feeling and soon learned his shikai and bankai before being promoted to guard captain. he loathes Jackell to this day but he stills holds admiration for the great captain he served. Giving him the thoughts that it is only his right and duty to kill him.

**Zanpaktou= he** **swore to only call its name when he found Jackell, so its unknown.**

***End of Guard Records***

Kuro in his disguise was walking through the seritei streets near the second division hoping to sense his targets signature. His mind went back to that weird shinigami whom had bumped into him earlier but before he could get into depth of it he heard a female voice shouting orders.

"FIND THOSE RYOKA!" he saw a woman shouting to some troops. She has a small yet delicate frame and wore a captain haori of second division. Her har was black and ties in to braids with gold rings at the end, her eyes were a greenish violet color and narrowed in authority as she commanded her troop.

'Soi-fon , born Fon Shaolin ,is the captain of the 2nd Division and also the current Commander in Chief of The Secret Remote Squad She is a hard worker who believes strongly in following orders. She is also outwardly antagonistic to her underlings as she believes this keeps them on their toes. During her childhood, she served as a bodyguard and eventual protégé of Yoruichi Shihōin. After Yourouichi deserted the seritei she has served as the new captain in her place.' Kuro thought to himself remembering the records he read on the current captains. As he was in thought said captain spotted him and glared.

"If you have time to gawk you have time to search" she hissed "Your making my vice captain look competent."

He only rolled his eyes "This coming fromt the last minute replacement" he said as he turned his back and walked away from the now infuriated captain.

"Care to repeat yourself" she growled with venom.

Kuro stopped and faced her "Why of course *clears throat* you are a last minute replacement as a captain, you only have the position because your captain was a coward. Frankly you are only a shadow of greatness."

Soi-fons temper exploded "INSOLENT DOG!" in a flash she appeared in front of him and caught his chin in a perfect upper kick causing him to shoot up into the air. Then appearing behind him she kicked him hard down to the ground causing a crater and a large cloud of dust to form. Landing in front of it, Soi-fon got a hold on her temper then widened her eyes at what she just did. "I-I killed him…Damn it im becoming like HER!"

But suddenly her attention was drawn to the dust clouded crater were a disturbance was seen. Soon out of the crater walked Kuro with no bruises on his body but him hakama was torn up slightly.

"What the hell!?" Soi-fon shouted as Kuro dusted himself off and cracked his neck. When he noticed the shocked captain he lit his hand to cast a memory wiping kido only to have her use hanki to negate it "Who the hell are you!? Are you ryokya!?" she demanded.

"I don't have time for this" he muttered as he turned and walked away, but in a matter of seconds she shunpoed and pinned him on his stomach in a paralyzing submission hold with her foot on his spine to crush it if need be.

"If you don't answer my questions I will end your life with the worst pain poss—" that was when she saw something that made her freeze. The back of his damaged hakama opened up slightly to expose a tattoo of a five point star, the symbol of the royal guard. She only saw it once briefly when she was younger but it was still hot in her memory. Getting off his back she fell to one knee and bowed her head as he started to get up again.

"Judging from your sudden change in demeanor I assume you've seen my mark before" he said dusting his hakama the best he could.

"A thousand apologies for my rudeness, I didn't know there was a royal guard in the seritei" she said with her gaze to the ground; she dared not lift her head to look at him.

"Raise your head second division captain, I was evaluating your competence in the field, that agression and that hold has more than proven your rightful spot in the gotei thirteen captains." Soi-fon raised her head slowly and after a moment returned with a fresh new hakama.

"If you don't mind my asking sir, why is someone of your status in the seritei" she asked as he went behind a corner and slipped on the new hakama.

"A search and capture mission" he answered back.

"Who are you looking for?"

He came around the corner freshly dressed and had a serious look all over his face. "A fallen royal guard?". Before she could question him any further he raised a hand "If you wish to discuss this further come with me, this information is to important to say in a unsecure area" Soi-fon nodded in agreement and the two shunpoed away.

***Tower of Pentinence***

Rukia was alone in her thoughts for a long period of time ever since she was brought back to the soul society. there are many things a person could feel when they realized they've caused those they cherish to risk themselves for ones self. She sat alone in the silence of the tower room with no movement of her body or her expression, right now she was blank.

She didn't pray for freedom and she didnt ask for Ichigo and her friends to rescure her. but they were and soon they would die because of her.

**"You seem troubled"** a voice said in her head that took her by surprise but she chose to ignore it.

**"Hello? Hmmm are you dead? Don't tell me your already dead"** it persisted trying to get a response, but she stayed silent and unresponsive and heard the vpice chuckle at her silent treatment.

***Hanataros P.O.V***

"Hey Hanataro, how far till we reach the white tower" Ichigos friend Ganju asked

"Not far we just have to cross the guards"

It was cake for the moment. Hanataro used a special serum to knock out the first guard and Ganju delivered an elbow bolt right into the second ones head. They scaled the walls and after lifting the doors they found Rukia.

***End P.O.V***

She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the young boy from fourth division who used to visit and clean her cell in the sixth division barrack prison. And couldn't help being more shocked when she found out the man next to him was the brother of her dearest friend Kaien whom she had to kill with her own blade.

Rukia blinked unsure of what to say. She briefly allowed herself to think back on her time in the world of the living, her first encounter with Ichigo and her's first argument, the Quincy Uryu, being part of a TV show, getting the bounty from Urahara, the fated encounter between Ichigo and the hollow who killed his mother. She recalled all of it, the good and the bad. As the last memory played she looked at Hanataro " I guess maybe I do have some more living to do." She said as she stood up fully

"Hey, are you done kissing in here yet?" Ganju yelled as he walked back into the room with a peevish look, mostly likely from the time they were wasting

"

We're coming Ganju." Hanataro said patiently, while the green clad Shiba grumbled a 'whatever' under his breath, and turned to leave. "Come on, let's go."

As the pair followed behind their leader, Hanataro turned around to close and lock the door, when he felt it. A strong powerful spiritual pressure fell all around him, clearly not directed at him since the strength behind it would squish him again the wooden bridge. With a panicked look, he turned around staring past the obvious frightened form of Ganju and

Rukia to see the source of the spiritual power. The source was a pale man, with sharp black hair with three adorning ornaments in it placed in a neat row. Around the man's neck was a silver scarf. The man himself had a cold almost condescending look as he peered at the enemy before

him. The man's hand was touching the hilt of his Zanpaktou which was revealed by the wind that blew open the important piece of the man's attire aside from his Hakama

The Haori. The Haori of a Taicho of the thirteen court guard squads.

"Hmmm, it seems both my hunch and Ichimaru's insight were rather…precise." He said calmly to himself, almost unwilling

to let his mind register the presence of his foes "I had sensed a great migration of spiritual power here earlier," he then looked specifically at Rukia who fell to the ground quickly from his reiatsu "It's good thing I came to check up on you, Rukia."

Ganju quickly reached for his cleaver and clenched his fist tightly, moving his body just enough to charge the man "Hey girly-man, stop messing with her, and get out of our way before I make you break more than a nail!" he yelled unwilling to

be intimidated by this individual

Byakuya turned his gaze to Ganju "What insolence. But I should not be surprised. A savage barbarian such as yourself would be allied with a traitor."

"I'm no savage, 'primadonna-chan', I am Ganju Shiba second warrior of the Shiba clan!"

The captain's eyes widened just a fraction, as did Rukia's for different reasons, but returned back to their cold empty state before the revealing "I see. So you are a member of _that _clan. So you must be the brother of that one man, Kaien Shiba."

"Yeah, I am." He replied with his teeth barred

"How unfortunate. While I detested the man's unruly behavior particularly to those of higher standing, as well as his gratuitous use of his heart instead of his head, I did respect him to some small degree." _'after all he could do what I could_ _not.' _"So I will give you a proper sending from this world into his. Ganju Shiba of the former noble house Shiba, my name is Byakuya Kuchiki, current head of the Kuchiki clan, be sure to tell your brother when you arrive." The man then unsheathed his sword and held it vertically to the ground "Scatter, Senbonzakura."

Ganju took half a step back to brace himself when the weapon started to disintegrate from it's sheath Hanataro and Rukia however knew the dangers of a captain releasing their Zanpaktou against an opponent, especially

the one considered the greatest one of the recent decades.

"Ganju, look out!"

"Shiba-san, please surrender, Lord brother please stop at once!

Ganju looked over his shoulder at Hanataro "Hanataro you just be sure to cover me, got it."

"I- alright!" he yelled as he drew Hisagomaru

Ganju quickly turned around to see that the weapon had fully disappeared from sight leaving only a hilt behind in the male Kuchiki's hand. He glanced around his surroundings to make sure there wasn't any kind of trick ready to surprise him from a blind spot.

Byakuya merely tsked and pointed his sword at Ganju, while the invisible to the opponent's eyes, blades rushed towards their unwary target. Within a moment Ganju started to see sakura petal floating down in front of his eyes, at first it was one at a time, then it started to fall faster and faster.

Tssh…

He looked down at his hand that carried his knife to see a narrow sliver on his tricep, while blood started to pour out of it. Then he heard it again the sound of tearing, only this time it was on his entire right side. Soon the sound of fabric and skin tearing blasted in full volume as the man's body exploded in a fountain of blood. The man crashing down to his knee for

and instant as he saw Byakuya's sword reform before him.

'_Damn. I lost,' _the man admitted as his vision started to blur, while memories of his family started to flash before him, as

fell forward _'Kaien…..ku..ka….ku…'_

Ganju's body finally collapsed against the brown wood that had been stained red by his spilt blood.

"Ganju-san!" yelled Hanataro who ran next to his friend and slammed Hisagomaru against his body to heal his wounds. Only instead of hearing the sound of hissing from the regenerating wounds, he was met with the sound of a depressive 'boop'. "Ganju-san…" he whispered to the corpse of his strange attired yet courageous friend

"I hope this will set things into perspective for all of you. This is no fairytale, I will kill you all where you stand, and you wouldn't be able to so much as touch me." The Taicho said in an elitist tone as he gazed apathetically at the scene before him

"Rukia, I hope you take responsibility for your actions." He then pointed at Ganju "That man threw away his life for you. His blood is as much on my hands as it is yours, I suggest you keep that in mind before you make another escape attempt. To try and obscure justice and the laws of Soul Society is a futile endeavor. You cannot change this fact, as much

I can."

**"Kukuku how deligtful, that was just the man I was hoping to see present**" the voice in Rukias head said in return, she thought she heard it mutter something them her answers were found **"Kuro Hadou # 0 "Shi Fukkatsu!- (Death Ressurection)". **

What she saw next left her speechless and shocked there was a sudden rumble underneath them that caught everyones attention and out of the ground sprung forth two sleak black coffins that read off the top in kanji name plates.

Ginrei and Hisana Kuchiki


	3. Chapter 3

***Royal guard records***

The **Royal Special Task Force**, known commonly as the **Royal Guard** or **Zero Division**, is the most powerful militant force in all of Soul Society. An organization made up of former Captains of the Gotei 13 who were promoted to this level, the Royal Guard serve as the personal bodyguards of the Spirit King and the royal family. Only captains of the Gotei 13 know of their existence, though others have been known to discover them. As former elite captains of the Gotei 13, the members of the Royal Guard have considerable power and tactical knowledge. They are the highest class of Shinigami and only answer to the King: not even the Central 46 Chambers or the Grand Sovereign Council have authority over them. While the Royal Guard is a single force, it is made up from five smaller divisions, known as the Royal Ring of Five Guards.

**Ranks **

Similar to the Gotei 13, the Royal Special Task Force has ranks. However, the ranks in the Royal Guard function differently than that of the Gotei 13. Unlike the twenty reserved ranks for officers, and the the existence of non-ranked Shinigami, the Royal Guard consists of five smaller divisions known as the Ring of Five, have only two separate leader-appointed ranks, and because all members of the Royal Guard were former captains, there are no major gaps in power between individuals.

**Supreme Commander**

The **Supreme Commander** (最高司令官, _soudaishou_; Supreme-Commander) is the head captain of the Royal Special task Force, and the true personal bodyguard of the Spirit King. The Supreme Commander also holds the position of being the head of the First Ring of the Ring of Five. The Supreme Commander is said to be the most powerful member of the Royal Guard, as well as being the wisest and most experienced.

**High Marshal**

A **High Marshal** (高統帥, _kunshi gensui_; High-Marshal) is the leader captain of one of the Rings of Five (excluding the special case of the Supreme Commander). Unlike in the Gotei 13, where captains are generally the most respected and powerful Shinigami, the position of High Marshal merely reflects one chosen for responsibility and experience in leadership. Also unlike in the Gotei 13, where captains are chosen though several means, the positions of a High Marshal are unquestioned and unchallenged. Chosen directly by the Supreme Commander, High Marshals and almost never removed or replaced.

**Captain**

A **Captain** (隊長, _taichō_; Captain) entirely make up the Royal Guard, including the High Marshals and the Supreme Commander. The title of captain exists in every one of the Ring of Five, and functions very differently than in the Gotei 13. The title of captain is simply an extension from their time in the Gotei 13. Because of this, there are no true superior ranks - in the sense of power - within the Royal Guard. The closest existence to division in power or ability are the classes of the **Royal Ring of Five Guards**, which seperate the captains by their _ring_. Captains are divided by "levels", which are according to their ring.

XXXXX

The **Ring of One** is the closest division to the royal family, and acts as the royal family's direct bodyguards. The leader of the Ring of One, the Supreme Commander, acts as the Spirit King's personal bodyguard. The Ring of One consists of the Royal Guard's wisest, most experienced and most loyal captains. The Ring of One is also the only division of the Royal Guard that is merged with the Spirit King's advisory council. The members of the Ring of One have access to the innermost areas of the Spirit King's palace. Along with the Ring of Two, the Ring of One are the only captains actually allowed to see the Spirit King or the royal family

The **Ring of Two** are the directly chosen successors to the members of the Ring of One. Chosen for their devotion, wisdom and potential, the Ring of Two serve the Spirit King under the direct guidance of the Ring of One. As such, the Ring of Two guard the royal family and the Spirit King from inside the palace. Unlike the Ring of One, the Ring of Two do not have immediate access to the personal chambers of the royal family and are not part of the Spirit King's advisory council.

The **Ring of Three** are the third tier of security in the Royal Guard. Unlike the Ring of One and the Ring of Two, the Ring of Three have minimal access to the palace of the royal family. The Ring of Three primarily guard the outer and inner courtyards of the royal palace and must call to the Ring of Two to pass information to the Ring of One. The Ring of Three are virtually the same as the Ring of Two, save for the fact that they were not chosen to be successors to the Ring of One. Also unlike the Ring of One and the Ring of Two, the Ring of Three have never seen, and will never see, the Spirit King nor the royal family.

The **Ring of Four** are unique to the in that they share some of the responsibilities of the Ring of Three and the Ring of Five. Like the other Royal Ring of Five Guards, The Ring of Four are powerful, but less experienced or inadequate to higher position due to personal flaws, such as brashness or impulsiveness. Like the Ring of Three, the members of the Ring of Four are not authorized to enter the royal palace, to see the royal family, or to see the Spirit King

. The **Ring of Five** are the guards of the outermost areas of the Spirit King's palace. Unlike the other Royal Ring of Five Guards, the Ring of Five are not even authorized to enter the palace grounds. Instead, the Ring of Five patrol the palace grounds from the outside, and are generally seen as the sentinels and watchmen of the Royal Ring of Five Guards. In order to send their reports, the Ring of Five must pass information through the other Rings. Nearly all Shinigami captains began in the Ring of Five, and it is where newly appointed captains are often placed. After observing their qualities, captains will either stay in the Ring of Five, or be transferred to higher rings.

**Uniforms**

The uniforms of the Royal Guard are both similar and different from those in the Gotei 13. Like in the Gotei 13, High Marshals and the Supreme Commander have distinguished uniforms. Like the lieutenants of the Gotei 13, the High Marshals have armbands with a crest-plate of the Royal Guard's insignia and their ring (the Ring of Three has three rings in their insignia, while the Ring of Five has five rings in their insignia). The Supreme Commander also has a silver tomoe medallion, which distinguishes him as the head of the Royal Guard.

**Members**

Traditionally, all members of the Royal Special Task Force were former captains of the Gotei 13. Kirio Hikifune, who was a former Captain of the Twelfth Division, and Takashi Ishigawa, who was a former Captain of the Tenth Division,were two such members. However, exceptions were known to have been made, such as the case of Kazuki Ashira, better known as Ashira the Deserter, and Naoki Kawaguchi, a medicinal prodigy. Kazuki's appointment was outside of the traditional cycle of only captains being recruited into the Royal Guard.

***End Record* **

Rukia, Byakuya, Ganju, and Hanataro stared in silence at what they were seeing, for in front of them were two sleek black wodden coffins that seemed to have popped from nowhere with the names of people they knew from the past. As they stood in surprise the lids of the coffins made a creaking noise and fell forward and hit the ground showing their contents. There stood inside an elderly man and a young beautiful woman. The man was dressed in a captains uniform and the woman was dressed in a beautiful kimono. Their skin was pale gray and there eyes were black and hollow and had pupils that glowed a pale violet, they were empty and lifeless like dolls.

"W-what is this" Byakuya said looking at the two people, his fist was clenching his sword in anger as he looked around in hopes to find who had done this.

"**Now to cut the threads"** the voice in Rukias head mused. She heard it **"Tamashīnokaihō!-( soul release)". **When she heard that she immediately saw a un-thinkable occurrence. The skin of the two people took on a natural color full of life, and the blacks of their eyes took a white color and the pupils went from their pale purple glow to the colors they had when they lived, then after the change was complete both gasped to life and took in large breaths of air.

Byakuya was frozen, Rukia was speechless, Hanataro was babbling, and ganju was still on the ground bleeding.


End file.
